"We have great potential for both oil and gas," said Gary Vidal, an accountant and mayor of Meadow Lake. "Some say we could be the next Fort McMurray."
That may be a stretch, but the former Oilsand Quest sites could equal Cenovus' oil production (95,000 barrels a day) last year and be on the same level as the Bakken oilfield in southern Saskatchewan.
Forestry
Meanwhile Meadow Lake is doing just fine. It has a pulp mill, an oriented-strand board mill and a sawmill all working flat out with about 400 employees, and is located at the centre of one of the top crop-producing farm regions in the province.
The city also has excellent recreational facilities, the mayor noted, and happens to be the trading and service centre for about 20,000 people in northwest Saskatchewan.
There is also a significant tourism industry in the area, as Meadow Lake is close to a large provincial park and numerous lakes.
Vidal said that he has seen an increase in out-of-town real estate buyers seeking both industrial land and residential lots, both of which the town has for sale. Meadow Lake recently annexed 450 acres of land for future development.
Right now you can buy fully serviced residential building lots in Meadow Lake for around $60,000.
from Western Investor February 2013
